


Let the Clichés Pour

by ByTheAngell (SomeLittleInfamy)



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Flirting, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Cheating, M/M, The cheating isn't Malec no worries, Valentine's Day Fluff, a bit of angst I guess but it's light I promise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-22 12:54:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22716379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeLittleInfamy/pseuds/ByTheAngell
Summary: Alec is a waiter who is very, very over working on Valentine’s Day. Magnus just got his heart broken and came to the first place he could find serving alcohol. Maia is a bartender drowning in red and pink cocktails who happens to get a customer who keeps making eyes at Alec, and Alec keeps making eyes backTogether this night might not be as terrible as it could’ve been.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 68
Kudos: 359





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Aria_Lerendeair](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aria_Lerendeair/gifts).



> Based off of [This Tweet](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/675456435118800897/676139754315710465/image0.png) that everyone kept sending to me because I used to waitress at an Olive Garden, so of course I had to turn it into an entire fic.

_“I was going to break up with you anyway, I guess you just sped up the process.”_

God, Camille was a _bitch_. Her words replay in his head over and over as he drives, looking for the first place he can find that’ll serve alcohol. He’ll take a corner store just as quickly as a five-star restaurant at this point, but he absolutely needs a drink. He should’ve known better, should’ve seen it coming the way all of his friends did, warning him constantly that Camille was no good, that she didn’t love him the way he loved her. Magnus suspected that to an extent, but he didn’t think she didn’t care for him at all.

She said she was working late, that they’d celebrate another day over the weekend. Magnus - because he _loved her_ , and what a goddamn fool he was for that - took the day off to go to her apartment while she was at work and cook her a full three-course meal from scratch to have waiting for her when she got back. As a surprise.

The surprise was his when he heard her key turn in the lock and she tumbled in through the doorway with another guy attached to her lips. And her hips. And her--

No, he is entirely too sober to relive that moment. As if on cue he spots the sign for an Olive Garden and pulls off the road towards it. He doesn’t want to be alone and he doesn’t want to tell Cat and Ragnor just yet; they have a night out of their own planned and he doesn’t want to ruin it. He knows they’ll want to know and that there’s no way they’d let him deal with this on his own which is exactly why he decides to wait until tomorrow to break the news. Just because his Valentine’s Day is ruined doesn’t mean everyone else’s has to be, too.

The restaurant is packed. Magnus doesn’t know why he’s so surprised by the number of people who wait cramped in the too-small lobby since the weather outside is far too cold to wait anywhere else. Thankfully the host with the glasses who looks two seconds away from having a breakdown finishes his by-the-book greeting by adding that the seats at the bar are first-come, first-serve.

There’s a single chair open at the end of the bar and Magnus takes it, praying no one he knows will be here to see him. He’s given a polite but short “be right with you” from the bartender that, judging by the length of the paper lined with drink orders coming out of the printer next to her, maybe a bit longer than she’d lead him to believe.

“I’m in no rush,” he assures her. He’s eager to get alcohol in himself but, honestly, the sad truth of the matter is that he has nowhere else to be. He just needs to kill enough time where he isn’t alone, and he doesn’t foresee himself bursting into tears at an Olive Garden bar over the woman who broke his heart so he thinks he’s safe here. Safer than he’d be drowning himself in wine and ice cream alone in his apartment if nothing else.

“ _Why_ are there so many people on the wait?” The exasperated voice of a waiter floats over to him, the words directed at the female bartender who only laughs and shakes her head.

“It’s like this _every year_ , Alec. I don’t know why you keep acting surprised,” she points out.

“The surprise is that people aren’t even _trying_ to up their standards from a $9.99 unlimited soup and salad deal for a romantic night out. If one more person tries to get 4 samples of wine out of me to avoid buying a glass I swear to God-”

“Deep breaths, Lightwood. Take your samples, bat your eyelashes, and do what you do best.”

The waiter - Alec - rolls his eyes, and Magnus is left with the distinct impression this cannot possibly be what he does best. The bartender makes a few more drinks before she sighs at the orders still remaining and decides they’ll just have to wait, turning back to Magnus to take his order.

“Sorry about the wait,” she says, and he’s surprised to see she actually does seem apologetic despite clearly being swamped. “I’m Maia, what can I get for you?”

“Whiskey, neat. Make it a double. Best you got.” Because fuck it, he has about $400 worth of jewelry to return the next day so why not splurge a little on overpriced drinks.

“Waiting for someone?” The bartender asks him, and then immediately regrets the question when Magnus opens and closes his mouth wordlessly, frowning. He realizes that he’s been operating in such a daze since he left Camille’s apartment, ordering his heartbreak drink on instinct, that now that it sits in front of him the reality of it all crashes down on him.

“No, but I’m afraid that’s for the best.” He’s quick to recover with a smile, albeit a sad smile. If this were another setting on another day he might actually be the cliche who spills his guts out to the bartender. Instead it’s Valentine’s Day in a busy chain restaurant and the poor girl in front of him doesn’t have time to play therapist. “Thanks,” he adds, taking a very long sip of the drink.

She takes the easy out and turns back to the couple next to Magnus, leaving and coming back with an appetizer for them to share. There’s another bartender on the other end of the bar, Magnus observes as he continues to make quick work of his whiskey, a blonde male who’s doing more winking and theatrical bottle flipping than actual drink making, not that his patrons seem to mind. At least not the women; Magnus imagines he might be making an enemy or two out of the dates they’re there with.

It is a nice distraction, Magnus thinks, being surrounded by people, even if most of those people are couples. The best distraction of all, however, is the frustrated waiter when he’s right back at the side station where the servers go to pick up their drinks from the bar. Magnus has a clear view of him from where he sits and for the first time allows his eyes to dwell on a tattoo barely covered by the collar of his shirt, the scar in his eyebrow, and the way his hazel eyes widen in surprise as he laughs at something the girl next to him says.

“Seriously? A _second_ proposal?” Alec says, shaking his head. “I refuse to believe anyone would want to propose _here_. There are a million better places! Like literally _any_ other restaurant, for starters.”

“You’re just bitter because you’re still single,” Maia offers.

“No, I just have standards,” Alec counters. “For all the training we get here, nothing could’ve prepared me for the number of guys who think it’s completely acceptable to propose to their girlfriends in Olive Garden on Valentine’s Day.”

Magnus should be offended for probably being roped in with the ‘people without standards’ for spending his own Valentine’s Day here, technically speaking, but that isn’t the part that sticks with him. Alec’s single, Magnus notes - that’s his takeaway. Not that there’s even a hint of the waiter not being straight... and not that Magnus is going to ask out the first attractive person he sees, especially not on Valentine’s Day.

At least not with just one drink in his system.

Magnus gets Maia to refill his whiskey once more with things slowing down just enough that Maia swings back around with a basket of bread despite the fact that he told her he wasn’t hungry. “You’ll thank me later,” she says, eyeing the whiskey pointedly. “The bread is fresh, and I threw in a dipping sauce on the house. Just don’t tell my manager.” She gives him a wink and he wonders how sad he must look for her to be throwing bread and alfredo sauce at him for free.

Magnus finishes the whiskey and, instead of leaving, decides to switch to something a little lighter. It’s with a large glass of sangria that’s more fruit juice than wine, he’s sure, that Alec is back by the bar.

“They’re sitting on the same side of the booth, Maia,” Alec grumbles. “They spent ten minutes making out instead of eating and then _complained the food was cold_. I swear to God I’m going to commit a felony before the night is over.”

“Tell me before you do!” the blonde bartender chimes in, coming up behind Maia. “I’ll record it and put it on the internet so we can go viral!”

“Thanks for the support, Jace,” Alec says and rolls his eyes again.

Maia turns around, spots Magnus staring, and winces apologetically. “He’s not _really_ going to commit a felony,” she says a bit nervously.

Magnus only laughs. “I wouldn’t blame him if he did. There’s a special place in hell for couples who sit on the same side of a booth.” He intentionally speaks just loud enough for Alec to hear him, and makes eye contact when Alec looks over in his direction to see who said it. Magnus winks at Alec who flushes and turns quickly to leave… too quickly, it would seem, as he runs directly into another server.

Magnus cringes at the sight of spilling drinks followed by the sound of breaking glass, watching a nearby busser spring into action to clean up the mess almost immediately.

“ _Shit,”_ Alec curses, looking back over at Magnus with a mixture of shock and mortification before shifting to look apologetically at Maia instead. “Can you-”

“Already remaking them,” she reassures him. “Go clean up, they’ll be done when you get back.”

Alec vanishes from sight and Magnus wishes desperately that he could do the same. Instead, he drenches some bread in alfredo sauce and works on sobering himself up enough to leave before he can do any more damage.

* * *

Alec is drenched. The only plus side is that the black shirts they wear hide the stains of wine and margarita, but no matter how much he wrings it out into the sink the wet fabric clings to him now and he’s pretty sure he’s starting to get drunk off the smell of the alcohol on him.

“What the hell was that?” Jace’s voice sounds behind him.

“An _accident_ , Jace. People make them. You should know, you make plenty.” Alec glares, hoping his tone is enough to convey that this conversation is absolutely over. As if the night hasn’t been stressful enough before he made an absolute fool out of himself in front of the gorgeous guy at the bar-

“I’ve never seen you drop so much as a single _fork_ , let alone an entire tray of drinks,” Jace insists. “What’s wrong?”

 _And I’ve never seen someone as gorgeous as that guy at the bar,_ Alec thinks to himself, and feels the hint of a blush creep onto his cheeks remembering the fact that the very same man saw the entire disaster that Alec just became.

Jace peers closer at him. “Are you _blushing_?”

Alec pushes past him without a response and goes back out to the bar, praying that Maia has his drinks ready so he can take them and leave as quickly as possible. With any luck, the guy at the bar will be gone.

Of course, luck obviously isn’t in Alec’s favor tonight. Maia still has two drinks to finish and the guy at the bar is definitely still there. Alec looks everywhere but at him while he waits, praying the dim ‘mood lighting’ of the restaurant can keep his embarrassment mostly hidden.

Jace goes back behind the bar, eyes glued curiously on Alec, and it doesn’t take him long to realize exactly where Alec is very pointedly avoiding. Jace smirks and Alec feels the panic flare up in his chest, giving him a warning glare and shaking his head, silently pleading with Jace to not do anything with the dots he just connected.

Still waiting on one last drink Alec is forced to watch in silent horror as Jace leans over to Maia and whispers in her ear. Maia looks up at him in surprise at first but then smirks.

“I will tip you out an extra 10% tonight if the two of you mind your own business,” Alec begs.

“I’m offended,” Maia says as she places the last remake on his tray. “When have I ever done anything that wasn’t entirely in your best interest?”

“15%?” He counters, ignoring her question.

“Save that money and buy the poor heartbroken guy at the bar a drink,” Maia suggests quietly dropping her voice low enough that the guy at the bar won’t overhear.

“He’s- why is he heartbroken?” Alec asks immediately, feeling conflicted over the idea. Who cares if he’s single if he’s also way out of Alec’s league?

“I’ll find out,” Maia says, and before Alec can stop her and say he doesn’t actually care enough for her to pry she’s already too far away for him to get her attention without also drawing attention to himself.

Busying himself as much as he can with every other possible thing he has to do, Alec saves his next round of drinks for last. The guy is still there, talking to Maia, and Alec has never been more concerned over a conversation he isn’t part of in his entire life.

“Maia?” he calls from the side station, and both she and the guy at the bar look over at him. His eyes are _gorgeous_ , lined with black and tinted with shadow, and--

\--and Alec’s staring. Shit.

Thankfully Maia makes her way over to hand him the two beers he needs, giving him something else to focus on.

“His name is Magnus,” she whispers. “And some coldhearted bitch broke up with him today.”

An ex-girlfriend. Not a total rule out, but not exactly helpful, and- no. No, he’s definitely not considering trying to make a move on a guy who just got dumped. That has to go against, like, every rule in the book.

“Stop. Just… it’s not going to happen. Let the poor guy sulk in peace.” And without another word Alec turns and heads back to his section.

* * *

Magnus ends up ordering an appetizer and another drink. He doesn’t know why… or maybe he does. He didn’t intend on comforting himself with a surprisingly nice conversation with Maia and shameless eye candy in the form of a waiter, but it seems to be helping, so he decides to linger a little longer despite the fact that Alec refuses to look him in the eyes.

Until he does. Magnus doesn’t have to worry about embarrassing himself with staring because now it’s Alec’s turn to be caught surveying Magnus... until Alec realizes what he’s doing and goes back to complete avoidance. Magnus sighs and takes another sip of his drink.

When Maia turns back to Magnus she catches him watching Alec walk away and levels him with a knowing gaze.

“Can I help you?” Magnus asks her when she doesn’t turn away, only continues to watch him in silent consideration.

“Not me,” she says cryptically. “But perhaps there’s someone else…”

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you could possibly be referring to,” Magnus insists, because like hell he’s about to get thrown out of an Olive Garden, borderline drunk, for harassment.

Maia only hums and goes over to whisper something to the blonde - Jace, Alec had called him - before they both snuck a not-subtle look back at Magnus.

Perhaps he should stop lingering after all.

Except Alec is back a moment later with something new to complain about. It seems innocent enough except for the fact Magnus swears Alec keeps glancing over to see if Magnus is looking, or listening. And though he keeps his gaze very intently on his phone he’s definitely listening.

“Can you believe she had the audacity to say they were in a hurry to make an 8:00 movie and then try to order a well-done steak?” Magnus overhears and glances at the time at the top of his phone screen. It’s 7:12, the restaurant is packed, and though he’s never worked in a restaurant a day in his life even _he_ knows that’s never going to happen.

“I suppose we can’t all be blessed with kind, patient… _handsome_ guests,” Maia says, just loud enough for Magnus to overhear, but he keeps his gaze resolutely on his phone, even as he hears Alec’s frantic whisper of “ _Maia!”_ in warning before he’s gone again.

* * *

“Just admit you think he’s hot,” Maia says, cornering Alec by the soups in the kitchen. He’s waiting for a plate of lasagna to come up in the window and really can’t leave to avoid her, not if he wants the lady with the ‘I’d like to speak to your manager’ haircut out of here before she can _actually_ ask to speak to the manager.

“If I do will you drop this? Because yes, Maia, I think he’s hot. And that’s the end of it. He’s going to pay, and leave, and I’m going to be stuck refilling soup for at least another two hours, and then we’re never going to see each other again,” Alec snaps. He’s stressed enough with his tables and embarrassed enough from spilling those drinks everywhere that he can’t even humor the idea of flirting just then.

“Not even if I caught him staring at your ass as you walked away?” Maia offers in a sing-song voice.

Alec nearly chokes on nothing but air. “Did he really- no. No, I see what you’re doing, and it doesn’t matter.”

The lasagna comes up and Alec grabs it with his towel, taking the plate into the dining room with a smile that’s a little less fake at the idea that the guy at the bar might actually be a little bit into him, too.

* * *

Magnus is mid-sip when Alec appears to his right again, frantically waving over Maia. He’s so wrapped up in whatever it is he has going on that, Magnus notices with a hint of disappointment he’ll never admit to, he isn’t even ignoring Magnus on purpose this time, he’s just ignoring him.

“This night is my own personal hell,” Alec says.

“What is it this-” “I need two glasses of champagne for, you guessed it, another proposal. This is the third one tonight and I swear I’d have to offer up a blood sacrifice to get someone through the door tonight with the decency to tip even half of what they should for how entitled they all-” but Alec stops abruptly, looking past Maia to where Magnus sits, listening in eagerly.

He can’t help it. He’s just drawn to the sound of his voice, even if Alec is complaining just a tad too loudly about customers around, well, a customer - even though Magnus is certain he’s the only one paying him any attention. And he plans on tipping Maia very well for humoring him the past hour or so, so at least he knows he isn’t personally included in Alec’s rant.

Still, the moment Alec realizes Magnus heard all of that he falls abruptly silent.

“Anyway. Yeah. Two glasses with that stupid strawberry on it,” Alec mutters, suddenly very interested in the little order pad he holds in his hands. Magnus wonders if there’s a particular reason he seems to hate this job, or this holiday, or both, so much. He wants to ask, to get to know Alec a little better the way he had with Maia, and even Jace while the people lingering around the bar for drinks got tables and dispersed, leaving only Magnus lingering behind.

He wants to ask, but instead, he decides he should cut his losses before he gets shot down twice in one romantic holiday. Magnus isn’t sure he can handle that.

Plus, trying to flirt with someone who has to be nice to your face because they’re at work is just asking for trouble - the last thing he wants is to put the poor guy in a position where he feels like he has to act interested just to keep a customer happy. Magnus may crave some validation in his life right about then but he isn’t quite _that_ desperate.

“I should take the check,” he says, loudly enough that Alec can rest assured Magnus will be on his way soon and no longer hovering about to distract him or eavesdrop on his conversations.

Maia nods, printing one out as she pours the champagne, dropping it in front of Magnus on her way past him to Alec. Alec takes a ring out of his pocket to put in one of the glasses and Magnus, against his better judgment, decides to grant himself one last longing glance before he leaves.

Alec decides to do the same, but even with Alec looking at him Magnus can’t help but let his gaze fall down to the ring in the glass, thinking of the ring he has waiting back in his own apartment, the one he was so sure he’d be using soon. He must look really fucking pathetic over those thoughts because the sudden look of sympathy Alec gives him is too much for Magnus to take. Yes, it’s definitely time for him to leave.

Except the moment he stands to leave he sways on his feet, entirely unaware of just how much he actually drank until he tries to move.

“Woah there,” Maia says, coming out from behind the bar to steady him. “Not to be that person, but, well-” it’s obvious she’s trying to find a nice way to say there’s no way she can legally let him go out to his car like this and Magnus spares her the trouble.

“No need. Sitting back down now,” he confirms, silently cursing himself. So much for getting out of their hair. Without another word Maia turns around to get him a water which he accepts gratefully.

There’s a high-pitched squeal of joy followed shortly by clapping. Magnus can almost picture the forced smile on Alec’s face and the exasperated eye-roll he’d seen countless times the moment his back turns to the happy couple. Then he feels a tap on his shoulder, which takes a moment for Magnus to register because he doesn’t know anyone on this side of town besides Camille, so he isn’t sure who he expects to see when he turns around.

....it certainly isn’t Alec.

* * *

Alec knows he crossed a line. Maybe two or three. Between the constant staring, the fact that he’s _positive_ Maia and Jace have been trying to drop hints at Magnus about him all night or pry information out of him to give to Alec to use somehow, he’s positive there’s no way this ends well for him by the time Victor swings around to check in on how everything is going.

Or, worse, until Magnus takes the survey on those little table tablets and writes all about how his experience was tainted by the rude server who kept shit-talking every customer who came in through the doors. He thinks the guy is probably cool with it from some of his initial reactions but by the end of the night he seems less amused and suddenly Alec isn't so sure he can trust that gut instinct.

He has to fix this before it comes back to bite him - or worse, Maia or Jace - in the ass. Those reviews aren’t just for them, they go to corporate, and he’s seen people lose their jobs over less.

“Hey,” Alec starts, rubbing at the back of his neck. “Listen. I, uh, know you heard some of the stuff I was saying. I just wanted to say sorry. It was unprofessional, and I just- we have those stupid surveys and I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t say anything bad about Maia and the service because of me.”

This is, quite possibly, even more embarrassing than spilling an entire tray of drinks on himself, but he owes it to Maia even if she’s been annoying the entire night.

“I wasn’t even considering it,” Magnus says, and Alec’s shoulders slump in relief. “And don’t worry, I tipped your friend at least _twice_ what my entitlement called for.”

Alec winces at the reference to his previous comment, but to his surprise Magnus is laughing. And, realizing he’s laughing, Magnus stops abruptly and looks twice as surprised as Alec.

“Sorry. I was just teasing. Honestly, I wouldn’t have the patience for a food service gig. If I were you I would’ve gotten fired around the second proposal.” Magnus pauses. “Actually, I was having a pretty shitty day and your running commentary made it a lot better. So thanks for that.”

“You’re, uh, you’re welcome,” Alec manages, because it isn’t at all how he anticipated this going. “Sorry you were having a bad day.”

“Thanks.” Magnus says. Alec knows he isn’t imagining the way Magnus’ eyes linger, the way he looks like he’s just on the brink of saying something else.

Alec wonders if _he_ should say something else, anything else, to keep them talking. His voice sounds almost melodic and ALec never wants him to stop talking.

Unfortunately Simon comes running up to him at that exact moment. “Alec, table 34 is getting a dessert on the house and Victor has it waiting for you to take over. He’s been looking everywhere for you.”

“Better get back to the happy couple,” Magnus says instead of whatever else he may have been about to say a moment before. And just like that the moment’s gone, Magnus turns back around in his seat, and Alec is helpless to do anything other than force himself to walk back to the kitchen.

He drops the dessert off, gets coffee for another table, and tries to go about business as usual… but the entire time his mind keeps drifting back to the guy at the bar. He knows it’s stupid after making sure everything was fine to go back and risk crossing a line with a customer but he can’t help it. Alec turns and heads back out to the bar…

...only to find it empty.

Maia sees the disappointment on his face and shakes her head in disbelief. “Don’t tell me you _finally_ decide to ask for his number _after_ he leaves,” she says.

“No. Of course not. I was just… coming to check on you. And Jace,” Alec lies unconvincingly.

“Uh-huh,” Maia replies, sounding equally unconvinced. “So you wouldn’t be the slightest bit interested in the fact that he left his number on the back of the receipt?” Maia dangles a piece of paper up in the air expectantly, and Alec all but lunges for it. Scrawled above 10 beautiful digits is a note:

_‘Hoped your friend might want this. If not, toss it and pretend this never happened for the sake of what little dignity I have left. -Magnus’_

Alec beams at Maia. “I owe you!”

“After the tip he left? We’ll call it even.” Maia says with a wink.

Alec wastes no time pulling out his phone and pulling up his text messages.

**A: Hey, it’s Alec. Your dignity is still very in tact.**

**M: Good to know.**

**A: Would it be too soon to ask if you’re free tomorrow tonight?**

Alec hears his name being called but it only vaguely registers as he stares at the three little dots blinking at the bottom of the message in anticipation.

**M: Unfortunately, I have a grand tour of ‘I-told-you-so’s tomorrow**

Alec’s face falls. Maybe Magnus was just hoping for a booty call tonight, or-

**M: But I can tell you all about it over coffee Sunday, if you’re free then?**

Alec smiles through the breath of relief he lets out.

**A: It’s a date.**


	2. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A year later, Alec allows Magnus to plan a mystery night out to surprise him for Valentine's Day (and their anniversary)... and Magnus has plenty of surprises lined up!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had the idea for this follow-up for an entire year and since it stuck with me that long I thought I'd write it for this year's Valentine's Day! <3

It’s the one-year anniversary of the day they met, and Magnus tells Alec that he has something special planned. Alec isn’t allowed to ask any questions, he’s simply told that they’ll be going out to dinner and to dress nice, but nothing extravagant. That alone makes Alec curious because normally for holidays or special occasions Magnus is all about extravagance… but no matter how subtly Alec tries to pry more information out of his boyfriend he eventually has to give up and wait in eager anticipation for whatever romantic surprise Magnus has planned for their Valentine’s Day anniversary.

Which Alec really doesn’t mind. He’s much more of a small, sentimental gestures kind of guy, so when it comes to nights out or proper events he’s more than happy to let Magnus take the reins. It’s one of the many ways they seem to balance one another out so perfectly.

It’s one of the many reasons Alec is head-over-heels in love with Magnus Bane.

It didn’t take long for Alec to move from casual crush to full-on infatuation once he and Magnus started dating. He quickly grew to love Magnus’ grand gestures in the form of lavish house parties, reservations at exclusive high-end restaurants, and thoroughly planned vacations, while Magnus made it very clear how affected he was by Alec’s small, usually unintentional, constant declarations of his love through thoughtful gestures like picking up little gifts from stores he passed just because they made him think of Magnus for no special reason or occasion, or reaching out to one of his chef friends to learn how to cook a favorite childhood dish Magnus mentioned once in passing.

Alec hopes that their past year together - the first of many years if he’s lucky enough - was just as wonderful for Magnus as it was for him. Magnus says that it was, that he’s lucky to have Alec in his life… but then they pull up in front of _the Olive Garden_ , overflowing with people going out to eat for Valentine’s Day in a scene that gives Alec an instinctive jolt of dread despite having left that job six months ago, and he has to assume he’s done something to piss Magnus off because otherwise there’s no reason for them to be _here,_ of all places.

Alec looks over to see the smirk on Magnus’ face as he puts the car into park and turns off the engine. “Magnus…” Alec says slowly, _warily_.

“Surprise!” Magnus says. “Now, yes, I know - you made your feelings about men who take their dates here for Valentine’s Day _very clear_ last year. However, it’s where we met, and it’s our anniversary, and you have to admit that holds at least a _little_ sentimentality.”

Alec’s expression softens. Magnus is right, Alec _does_ have to admit at least that much. It has a very ‘coming full circle’ feel, as far as gestures go, to return to where they first met for their anniversary dinner.

Noticing that Magnus is still waiting for his reaction to see if Alec might flat-out refuse to leave the car, Alec finally shakes his head with a small smile. “You’re ridiculous. Let’s go in.”

“I’m ridiculous, but you love me anyway,” Magnus reminds him.

“You’re ridiculous and I love you _because_ of it,” Alec corrects, getting out of the car and circling around to give Magnus a kiss before they walk into the busy lobby. Alec says hi to a few familiar faces he recognizes, but for the most part, everyone is too busy to spare him more than a few words while they wait for their name to be called.

Alec is surprised when, instead of being taken to a table, they’re lead over to two seats at the bar - right where Magnus sat a year ago. “You didn’t spare any details, did you?” Alec asks with a laugh.

“Well, we’re going to be eating more than just breadsticks and alfredo the bartender gives me out of sympathy,” Magnus says. “Also, if you trust me, I already have an order in to Maia for us.”

Alec raises an eyebrow. “The fact that we’re even here makes me question why I still trust you implicitly, but I do.”

Magnus practically beams. “Wonderful. I promise you won’t be disappointed. I might be aiming for sentimental tonight, but I’m not going to make you endure the fast-food equivalent of Italian food for our anniversary.” Magnus makes sure to say that low enough that no one around them can hear, but Alec’s resulting laugh is loud enough to draw a few eyes their way before he covers his mouth with his hand.

Despite Alec’s initial reservations, the night is wonderful. They chat with Maia and Jace a bit, watching them work and banter throughout the chaos, and spend the rest of the time talking and laughing and drinking. When their food arrives Alec discovers that Magnus had Maia slip the chef a request that used things the restaurant had in stock to create a steak and shrimp dish that looks like it belongs in a 5-star restaurant. By the end of their meals, which each of them finish every last bite of, it’s late enough that the crowd around them is starting to thin out. Alec thinks he catches a look-and-nod between Magnus and Maia but doesn’t question it - after the surprise of their meals, Alec assumes Magnus just has some sort of elaborate dessert arranged as well.

What Alec doesn’t expect is for Maia to return with two glasses of champagne, complete with a strawberry on the rim and something at the bottom of Alec’s glass that sends little bubbles in a constant stream to the top.

It’s a ring.

There’s a ring in his champagne glass.

Alec looks up from where his gaze locked onto the ring to see that not only is Magnus eyeing him with a nervous smile, but Maia, Jace, and a few others linger to watch Alec’s reaction.

Alec’s first thought is that it has to be a prank - that Magnus (or Maia or Jace, maybe) is just messing with him because of the day, and where they are, and that there’s no way that Magnus would seriously propose to him here, anniversary or not. But then Magnus starts to speak and Alec realizes very quickly that this is serious.

This is actually happening.

“You know, I thought about making sure we got a booth we could both sit on the same side of and make out in,” Magnus says, citing one of Alec’s frequent customer complaints from his time working here, and that’s when Alec realizes how intentional all of this is besides just being the place they met. Magnus organized _all of this_ to intentionally make them, by technical definition, the exact sort of couple that Alec’s snarky, ranting commentary about last year first drew Magnus’ attention. And at the look of astonishment on Alec’s face, Magnus has the audacity to _wink_ at him.

“Alexander, a year ago today you turned what I thought was the worst day of my life into what ended up being the best day of my life. Meeting you here was the start of weeks, and months, and hopefully years and years to come, of time spent full of love and laughter and warmth and all the joy you bring me, even on the days you’re grumpier than Chairman Meow.”

At this point Magnus reaches into the glass and pulls out the ring, holding it out to Alec.

“Alexander Gideon Lightwood, it would be an honor to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”

Alec smiles, looking from Magnus down to the ring and back up at his boyfriend again before replying. “Magnus, I love you more than anything in this world. Of course I want to marry you, and my answer will obviously be yes… but not until we’re literally _anywhere_ but here.”

“...what?” Magnus balks.

“I refuse to get engaged here, it’s a matter of principle,” Alec says. It isn’t like he’s saying no - he’s already said it’s going to be a yes, which is the important bit of all this. They’re practically already engaged. “Look at it this way: I’m saving you years of telling new people you proposed to your husband at an Olive Garden on Valentine’s Day, you should be thanking me.”

Alec eyes Magnus carefully. He knows Magnus picked the location _because_ of everything Alec’s said in the past, and because of their past. If he sees anything in Magnus’s reaction that says he’s going to _actually_ be upset at the idea of not ‘officially’ being engaged until they’re back home then, of course, Alec will say yes here and now. There’s no doubt in his mind that yes, he’d do even _that_ if it made Magnus happy. But Alec’s pretty sure he’s right in his gut reaction that the location of the proposal is a clever bit of good-natured fun more than a serious preference.

“So you’re telling me,” Magnus says, eyes wide in disbelief but not without amusement. “That if we were to leave here and walk across the parking lot to _Home Depot_ , and I proposed there, you’d say yes.”

It’s that hint of amusement, the tick of a smile at the corners of Magnus’ lips and the _fond_ exasperation in his tone, that tells Alec that they’re on the same page here - that they’re getting engaged, and the thrill of that inevitability outweighs the necessity of actually following through on the entire engagement happening here and now.

“I suppose that’s technically anywhere but here, so yes” Alec agrees after a thoughtful pause. When he says it he doesn’t expect Magnus to have meant it literally, but as a figurative confirmation, figuring he’d wait until they’re home or maybe stop at the nice park a few blocks down they like to frequent.

Instead, Magnus abruptly stands up from his chair.

“Alright, let’s go,” Magnus says. “We’ll be right back,” he adds to Maia, before waiting expectantly for Alec to follow.

“What?” Alec blinks.

“We’re walking across the parking lot until we’re off this property, and then I’m putting this ring on your finger. Come on, Mr. Stubborn-wood,” Magnus says, a hint of challenge to his words that tells Alec he’s waiting for him to admit that Home Depot is actually _worse_ than Olive Garden by way of proposal locations.

Jace laughs so hard at the terrible play on Alec’s last name that he actually snorts, and Maia rolls her eyes. “Come on, Alec. I know we joke about how awful this place is-” she pauses at a pointed look from Alec. “Okay, maybe it’s more truth than joking, but _still_. You can’t honestly withhold your ‘yes’ until-”

Except Alec is already pushing his chair back to stand up, meeting Magnus’ playfully challenging gaze with his own. “Let’s go.”

The two of them walk out of the front door, turn to walk around the side of the building, and head behind it in the direction of the Home Depot. Neither of them say a single word about the absurdity of what they’re doing, and Alec only gives a quick glance behind to confirm his suspicion that Maia, Jace, and a small handful of others rushed out the back door of the building where people normally take smoking breaks to watch as he and Magnus cross the dark parking lot under the light of the streetlamps.

The moment they cross the obvious property line, where there’s a clear shift in pavement color as if one side’s been more recently repaved than the other, Magnus stops walking. This sprawling area of black asphalt between the two buildings is entirely empty given the time of night and there isn’t a car in sight. Not that Alec is able to look anywhere other than at Magnus as he drops to one knee and holds up the ring.

“You’re not getting the whole speech again, I hope you know,” Magnus starts. “But I will say this: Alexander Gideon Lightwood, you’re ridiculous… and I love you _because_ of it.”

Magnus echoes Alec’s words from the car back at him, and for some reason, that’s Alec’s breaking point. He blinks away tears now, because out of all the heartfelt things they say to one another it’s those little moments, the ones where they’re so unapologetically themselves that it only causes their love for each other to grow, that solidifies that this is it for Alec. That _Magnus_ is it for him.

“Will you marry me?” Magnus asks, for the second time that night, and this time Alec nods without hesitation.

“Yes,” he says. “Yes, yes, yes.”

As Alec repeats the word Magnus reaches out and slides the ring onto Alec’s finger before straightening his legs to stand again. The moment he’s upright Alec wraps his arms around Magnus and pulls him in for a kiss that he hopes conveys even half of the abundance of love he feels in that moment. They kiss to the faint sound of cheers and applause from across the parking lot, with Jace’s whooping yells ringing out the loudest.

“Maia’s never going to let me hear the end of this,” Alec says once they pull apart, as they start the walk back to the restaurant.

“ _Maia?_ ” Magnus says, sounding incredulous. “ _I’m_ never going to let you hear the end of this. I cannot believe you made me propose _twice_. Once in a _parking lot_.”

Magnus huffs out a laugh that matches his tone of incredulity, and Alec laughs along with him, gaze falling to the engagement band on the hand he holds up in front of him to admire as they walk.

“Worth it,” Alec says, smirking and shooting Magnus a wink.

“Yes, you are, darling,” Magnus says.

Alec doesn’t have a clever retort to that. He just wraps his arm around Magnus’ waist and pulls him in close as they walk back inside to share their first drink as fiancés.

**Author's Note:**

> (Find me on [Tumblr](http://bytheangell.tumblr.com) and also on [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/By_The_Angell)! <3 )


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